Skylight leaking advice needed!Thanks

Hello,
First off thank you for the help. My parents house has 3 skylights located on the flat part of the roof. It has almost always leaked for the ten years that we have lived there. The leaking was never more than what a small pot could handle. My father finally tired of having to worry about when it rains, had roofers come and bid to fix the skylight. We had a new roof put on the flat part(the rest of the house has a roof that is less than 2yrs old). It took the roofers less than 3 days to apply the new roof(I believe its a scorched down roof, not sure of the terminology). The last day they told my dad that everything was done except and couple of shingles needed to be put back but it shouldn't leak, ha ha). That evening a big thunderstorm came through and it rained as much in our house(the 3 rooms that are under the flat roof) as it did outside. They came and tarped, but not well and we continued to have water streaming down the walls and through the ceiling all night, resulting in several inches of standing water(you should see the dvd I made). A restoration crew was called out the next by our insurance company and spent the next several days at our house pulling up carpet, etc.. The roofers came out and put the shingles back on. That night it rained again and while rain wasn't coming thru everything it was streaming out thru the skylights 50 times worse than the orginal problem. The roofers came back out and tarred around the skylights. It hadn't rained for a good week to 10 days from now to then. Today I found leaking on the middle skylight. I called the roofer(my parents are on vacation), who proceded to tell me it was the calking in the skylights and not the roof. I know that can not be the case since my dad and I pulled apart the skylights during spring cleaning and replaced the calking and seals. Now my questions are is the roofer trying to pull one over me. Did he not put the roof on properly? What can be done to solve this problem? We are patient people nearing our wits end. These rooms have been remodeled over the past 2yrs with our family doing 90% of the work, which is all now ruined. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you...Nicole (sorry for the long story)

Skylight leaking advice needed!Thanks

I've heard this story before. They sell you a new roof and maybe do a great job on the roof but there are the flashings, the skylights, the paraphat walls, the exposed beams, (southwest), the connection between the pitched and the flat roof, underlayers of wood shingles that can wick water 2 ft horizontally and 1 ft up. All these can be a problem and were probably the problem before the new roof was put on. I've always loved to trouble shoot leaks but yours sounds pretty serious. I guess the first thing i would ask is is a permit required, was it pulled and was it inspected? Not that that would mean a whole lot but it would be a start. Are the roofers required to have a license and do they have one? And then do what you are doing. Ask everybody and anybody and maybe you can figure it out. I've camped out on roofs with a water hose untill I found the leak. I have to say that I maintain 3 residental flat roofs and they are a pain in the butt. With some skylights they are even worse. I expect that at least once a year there is some problem with each one. I've been around a bunch of commercial flat roofs and they leak too. I don't know if that helps but that is my 2 cents. Good Luck, HS

I included photos of the skylights, the roof and from inside. The plastic that is on the roof was to prove that it was the lack of flashing and horrible patch job that is causing the leak. The skylight that is torn apart is from the restoration crew checking for moisture. If you have any questions or need better pics let me know. Thanks again for the help...Nicole

Skylight leaking advice needed!Thanks

Nicole, I am sorry you got ripped off. THis is a terrible job, simply terrible.

I notice many things on your roof...
1. Seam lines are laid on top of each other...a big no no. They should be broken like in a plywood deck fashion without vertical seams on top of vertical seams

2. The field of the roof should run at least two inches up the skylight sides and heat welded in place to create a primary waterseal

3. There is NO flashing installed on the skylights. After the field is laid, a flashing course should have been installed that runs at least four inches onto the flat of the roof, and is fully heat welded, and up the sides, a minimum of eight inches, but in your case, I would like to see the bubbles removed and the flashing brought up over the top of the curb and secured, and then the bubbles re-installed.

Skylight leaking advice needed!Thanks

Nicole, I am sorry you got ripped off. THis is a terrible job, simply terrible.

I notice many things on your roof...
1. Seam lines are laid on top of each other...a big no no. They should be broken like in a plywood deck fashion without vertical seams on top of vertical seams

2. The field of the roof should run at least two inches up the skylight sides and heat welded in place to create a primary waterseal

3. There is NO flashing installed on the skylights. After the field is laid, a flashing course should have been installed that runs at least four inches onto the flat of the roof, and is fully heat welded, and up the sides, a minimum of eight inches, but in your case, I would like to see the bubbles removed and the flashing brought up over the top of the curb and secured, and then the bubbles re-installed.

Was this, by any chance the low-bidder?

My parents will be very grateful for the information. I don't believe this was the low bidder, I could be mistaken though. My dad choose the contractor because of the torch-down roof, he thought that would be the best type of roof for the situation. My dad was more concerned with having it done right (ha ha) than the price. The flashing has been a major point of contention. The contractor tells us that flashing was put on the skylights, under the outside skin. (Of course he has only been out to the house twice, to give the bid and to collect the check. His workers have been the ones doing all the work.) The contractor who is with the restoration company, a contractor who is a friend of ours (and did most of the original remodeling in the rooms that were destroyed) and now you, an expert on roofs, are telling us that there is no flashing. It is getting to the point that we are going to have to look for a third-party solution. We have bids already for the restoration of the rooms, but can't get started until the roof is no longer leaking. The contractor has made no effort to make right the situation. I am very appreciative of the time and information that you have given, as are my parents. I will keep you apprised of the situation and probably have a few more questions for you along the way. Thank you very much...Nicole

Skylight leaking advice needed!Thanks

It looks like the original roofers have final fixed the roof. It made it thru its first rainstorm without any leaks. We didn't know what to do with ourselves. My folks are waiting for a second good rainstorm before saying everything is ok. The roofers came back and put up flashing, plus fixed a couple of other things. Your knowledge and insight was crucial in helping us to discuss the problems with the roofer. Thank you once again! Nicole

Skylight leaking advice needed!Thanks

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beeper29x

It looks like the original roofers have final fixed the roof. It made it thru its first rainstorm without any leaks. We didn't know what to do with ourselves. My folks are waiting for a second good rainstorm before saying everything is ok. The roofers came back and put up flashing, plus fixed a couple of other things. Your knowledge and insight was crucial in helping us to discuss the problems with the roofer. Thank you once again! Nicole

Sucks that they didnt have trhe integrity to do it right without being called on it.